Eyeball Engineering

FIRSTS. When discussing historical subjects, there are three words we try to avoid: first, last, and only. Soon after a writer applies any of these adjectives to an object or idea, invariably someone jumps up and proves him wrong. As for Creighton Hunter’s roadster, we’ll take our chances. It is the first car to carry one of hot rodding’s most iconic symbols, Dean Moon’s eyeballs, and its owner was a cofounder of the first commercial dragstrip on the planet.

2/13Creighton Hunter buckles up his helmet preparing for a run at Santa Ana. A small sponsorship from Dean Moon led to the addition of painted-on pupils to Creighton's Number 00, creating the first Moon eyes. He owned approximately 50 hot rods in his life, concluding with the flathead-powered '33 Ford roadster that cruised the streets of Orange County right up to his 2006 death at age 86. Along with carrying the first set of Moon eyes, this was the first vehicle lettered with the abbreviation "Moon Equipt" (later revised to read "Moon Equipment Co."). PIC: DEAN MOON (COURTESY OF DAVID FETHERSTON)

Creighton, like his buddy, Moon, was in the Hutters Car Club, part of the Russetta Timing Association. After serving in World War II, Creighton joined his father in the oil-distribution business and resumed building and racing hot rods. Though it’s not confirmed, this roadster is believed to have been built by legendary Nisei rodders Yam and Harry Oka in the ’40s. Hunter raced it at the dry lakes from 1949 to 1954 and clocked a quite respectable top speed of 151 mph, but its greater, longer-lasting notoriety came on asphalt.

Creighton and Frank Stillwell, a motorcycle shop owner and promoter of motorcycle races, were C.J. Hart’s partners in the Santa Ana Drags. However, Creighton soon realized that racing was more fun than working. In a 1979 interview with Editor Wallace, C.J. recalled, “He only lasted a couple of weeks. We asked him what he wanted to get out. He said $1,000, and we paid it.” His little car lived on, however—and on, and on. The roadster was sold in mid-1953 to another Santa Ana pioneer, Hildardo “Hill” Alcala [who also owned the sleek ’34 three-window coupe we couldn’t identify on the cover of the Mar. ’10 HRD—Ed.]. Although its ’24 T body and engine setback seem right for Santa Ana’s Roadster class, one of the car’s most distinguishing characteristics, the cut-down ’37 Ford truck grille, forced it into the Modified Roadster division against more radical machines. Still, in little more than a decade, Hunter and Alcala collectively amassed more than 200 trophies, beating everything from blown-overhead street roadsters to mid-engine modifieds, running in the high 10s at nearly 130 mph.

Racing the roadster was an Alcala family outing. Hill did the tuning and driving, but he always had a substantial pit crew headed by his brother, Ruben, wife, Frances, daughter, Rosalie, and lots of uncles and cousins, including uncle Julian Alvarez (known for his fine collection of original Deuces as well as his custodianship of Bud Bryan’s Rod & Custom ’29 highboy).

When Dean Moon built the beautiful Mooneyes dragster, Hill was named its test pilot and promptly rewarded Dean with the A/Dragster class trophy at the ’61 NHRA Nationals (as seen in More of the Same, page 66).

Hill continued running this car until the passing of Frances took the wind out of his sails in the mid-’60s. When nostalgia drag racing took off in the late ’70s, his son, Tony, gave the old roadster new life for a few seasons before parking it again, exactly as last raced. Earlier this year, the Alcala family generously loaned it to the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum in Pomona, California (Museum.NHRA.com), where it serves as the cornerstone of a continuing exhibit honoring Dean Moon. Be there between now and mid-November to examine the first vehicle to wear Moon eyes, one of drag racing’s first fast cars, and a rare, unrestored example of a state-of-the-art ’40s hot rod. ★